St Louis City Courthouse and Government Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of St Louis City court, probate, and land records as a source of genealogy and family history information. Buried away in Missouri courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of many Missouri citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in the St Louis City court records.

Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. Even if your ancestor is not mentioned in a Court case, consider all of the other procedures which could have lead to him or her appearing in court records.

The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in St Louis City. The dates indicated below are the first known records for this county which may include records of land, estates, taxes, vital records, divorces, naturalizations, court records, and so forth. On August 22, 1876, St. Louis City separated from St. Louis County and began keeping its own records, also retaining all original St. Louis County records before 1876.

St Louis City Recorder of Deeds is the place where all transactions having to do with land are recorded and kept on file. They take marriage license applications, issues marriage licenses, files the license after the marriage, and maintains a permanent record of the marriage, surveys and plats of subdivisions, Armed Forces discharge papers for all veterans who reside in the county. Some naturalization records have been found with the deeds.

Phone: (314) 622-4610

Marriage Records: 1766

Land Records: 1766

Birth & Death Records: 1825 (including Some births and deaths were recorded back as far as 1825, but they are far from complete.)

St Louis City Circuit Court Clerk / Probate Court Clerk has the direct index to records such as divorces, adoptions, judgment, and tax fee books including direct and indirect indexes. They also retain the index to criminal records and criminal files of the circuit court. Adoptions are under the jurisdiction of the circuit court. Naturalization records, including petitions, declarations of intention, certificates, and certificates of allegiance, and granting of citizenship are also located in the clerk's office, as well as an index to civil case files. The County Probate Division has jurisdiction over the estates of deceased persons. The Division hears all litigation involving trusts, including those trusts established in wills. (In the smaller counties, probate matters are handled in the same office as the associate circuit court office)

Address: 1114 Market St., St. Louis, MO 63101

Phone: (314) 622-4433

Probate Records: 1766

Court & Divorce Records: 1766

St Louis City Tax Assessor Office is responsible for appraising and assessing real estate property and person property for the purpose of taxation as well as transferring ownership of real estate, and keeping real estate maps up to date.

St Louis City Links

The following are links to Genealogy, Records and Resources relating to St Louis City. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a payment. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to submit your own favorite genealogy or family history related sites.

St Louis City MO Atlases, Maps & Gazetteers

St Louis City MO Books, Newspapers & Publications

Historical Newspapers from Missouri (1808 - 1922)(genealogybank.com) Rapidly locate names and keywords in over 450 million content articles, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices and also other items written and published in over 2,800 historic U.S. newspapers. New content and articles added every month!

St Louis City MO Military Records

Missouri Military Records(fold3.com) provides access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Missouri men and women who served. Perfect for Perfect for St Louis City genealogists, researchers, historians and more.